In response to a series of requests for military aircraft, one Defense Department official wrote, "Any chance of politely querying [Pelosi's team] if they really intend to do all of these or are they just picking every weekend?...[T]here's no need to block every weekend 'just in case'..." The email also notes that Pelosi's office had, "a history of canceling many of their past requests."

One DOD official complained about the "hidden costs" associated with the speaker's last minute changes and cancellations. "We have...folks prepping the jets and crews driving in (not a short drive for some), cooking meals and preflighting the jets etc."

The documents include a discussion of House Ethics rules and Defense Department policies as they apply to the speaker's requests for staff, spouses and extended family to accompany her on military aircraft. In May 2008, for example, Pelosi requested that her husband join her on a Congressional Delegation (CODEL) into Iraq. The DOD explained to Pelosi that the agency has a written policy prohibiting spouses from joining CODEL's into combat zones.

Documents obtained from the U.S. Army include correspondence from Speaker Pelosi's office requesting an Army escort and three military planes to transport Pelosi and other members of Congress to Cleveland, Ohio, for the funeral services of the late Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Pelosi noted in her letter of August 22, 2008, that such a request, labeled "Operation Tribute" was an "exception to standard policy."

The documents also detail correspondence from intermediaries for Speaker Pelosi issuing demands for certain aircraft and expressing outrage when requested military planes were not available. "It is my understanding there are no G5s available for the House during the Memorial Day recess. This is totally unacceptable...The speaker will want to know where the planes are..." wrote Kay King, Director of the House Office of Interparliamentary Affairs. In a separate email, when told a certain type of aircraft would not be available, King writes, "This is not good news, and we will have some very disappointed folks, as well as a very upset [s]peaker."

During another email exchange DOD staff advised Kay King that one Pelosi military aircraft request could not be met because of "crew rest requirements" and offered to help secure commercial travel. Kay King responded: "We appreciate the efforts to help the codel [sic] fly commercially but you know the problem that creates with spouses. If we can find another way to assist with military assets, we would like to do that."

I saw something on the tube that made me think and get kinda melancholy.

BO was to make a stop here in the Southland. People were camping out for tickets and the news crews stopped by to interview people.

As I flipped thru the channels the interviews were in two parts, some people wanted to see him in person and the other set were there to see if they culd ask the pres about getting some of the stimulus money for themselves.

Sheesh,
This is going to be a prob for this administration. 'giving' away money is the not the answer! Most of the people who lived within their means are doing 'o.k.' considering the econ climate. The people who over extended their financial limits are the ones that are begging to be helped. This is a scary
precedent because no one is inclined to clean up their mess-they want someone else to do it for them.

That really gets me angry that we have lost the desire and drive to 'do it ourselves'.

The people who wanted a government that would butt out of our lives is getting the opposite of their wishes!

As I flipped thru the channels the interviews were in two parts, some people wanted to see him in person and the other set were there to see if they culd ask the pres about getting some of the stimulus money for themselves.

Sheesh,
This is going to be a prob for this administration. 'giving' away money is the not the answer! Most of the people who lived within their means are doing 'o.k.' considering the econ climate. The people who over extended their financial limits are the ones that are begging to be helped. This is a scary
precedent because no one is inclined to clean up their mess-they want someone else to do it for them.

That really gets me angry that we have lost the desire and drive to 'do it ourselves'.

The people who wanted a government that would butt out of our lives is getting the opposite of their wishes!

Oh come on! Some people ...who make their own mess asking for a handout....NEVER happened before?

And this new action is the result of the Bush and the Obama administrations giving money to save corporations.